N. Srª. Da Conceição hull #195 saved my life yesterday

[Command_1]

I would like to share my experience or lack thereof, with you good folks.
Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day in North West Florida, like those Fall New England days that are cool and not a cloud in the sky so blue it takes your breath away (that’s the only thing I miss about Massachusetts).
At about 09:30 I checked sailflow.com, the weather channel, intelicast.com and all predicted 5 to 10 knots in protected waters falling to 4 to 6 knots in the afternoon. I grabbed a subway and headed for the boat. The bayou was calm and I practiced boat control by tacking and jiving with just the main. As of yesterday I had not used the jib at all. After about an hour of this I decided to go to the mid bay bridge about 15 miles away as I had done about 4 or five times in the past. Just outside the bayou I got brave and run through my mind the process of raising the jib as I had done a number of times back at the slip.
I pointed her into the wind, went forward raised it with no problems, as I got to the cockpit she was starting to go around in a big circle. Cranked on the winch got it under control and headed out. Played with many different settings, always with very comfortable control. I was so happy with my beautiful Triton and myself.
At about 2 PM I could just distinguish cars from trucks on the mid bay bridge, and wanting to stay away from barge traffic, I turned back about 15 minutes into my return the wind started to pick up a bit, and that’s not unusual for that time of the day on the bay.
The wind changed to the west where I wanted to go, again not a problem, about 4 or 5 tacks, and I’m back into the marina, I also started to see some small white caps indicating about 15 knots (I think) still very comfortable boat control.
About 45 minutes into my return it started to pick up even more, Conceição was proudly sailing into increasing bigger and steeper waves (don’t ask me for the size and depth), but the sailor was getting nervous by now. At one of my tacks, the wind now screaming, the jig sheet got fouled on the cleats at the mast and I went forward to deal with it. I found myself standing straight up on the port side looking straight down at the starboard side with water on the rail.
At this point I was having a very hard time sailing close to the wind in order to make progress to my destination and started too essentially sail between just two points at opposite sides of the bay.
At some point I looked up and my 48 year old main sail was coming apart at the boom. I decided to pull it down before it ripped all the way, (not having enough experience to reef it). The process was challenging, but my awesome Triton never took on water. Tied the main up and turned my attention once again to sailing, now with just the jib. Did this for about 3 hours, not making much progress towards the marina.
It was now getting to be about 17:00 hours so I decided to just turn the engine on and motor back, with the jib very tight on the winches motoring against the wind. That old mule (we have become old friends over the last few weeks of hard work), started right away. Got out of the cockpit to bring down the jib, but before I got there the engine stop suddenly and without any warning. Well now I need my jib, (its a sailboat anyway) got back and started to sail again.
I don’t know what time it was but I decided to call the marina on my cell and tell them that I might be in trouble. They asked my circumstances and decided to come out and get me. Initially they had trouble finding me in all the heavy waves, but thanks to a very experienced captain, who asked me some very simple questions. Like do you see any barges and what direction is he going, what is your position relative to him.
When they arrived, he quickly determined that the engine stopped because I had my jib halyard wrapped around the prop and my limited use of the rudder was also caused by that.
My friend James who works at the marina jumped into my boat to my big surprise, pointed Conceição into the wind, I used a pair of pliers to cut the jib halyard, pulled the jib down, got a two line in place, got a smell of the tow engine’s boat and promptly got sick as a dog, I mean so sick I was having trouble controlling myself.
When we got back to the marina it was dark, and such a beautiful night with absolutely no wind, it was hard to believe what I had just gone trough was even in the same season of the year.
My friends quickly left, the work day having ended 3 hours earlier.
I went bellow where I did not find a single item on the shelf’s where I had left them. Even a bucket full of heavy line (chain rode), that I had in the anchor locker forward of the V-Berth, was leaning against the engine compartment. I have not a clue how it traveled from that far way.
I got back in the cockpit, thanked my guardian angel Conceição, thanked my beautiful Triton, and thanked Carl Alberg!!!???. Then this 55 year old firefighter with 36 years on the job cried for I don’t know how long, with happiness to be a live, happiness that I never panicked, that what I might have given up some agility of my younger days, but having seen a great deal of sadness and danger prepared me for my luck of experience in sailing.
What I have learned from yesterday afternoon, I don’t know as of today. I know that I love my family very much, and that like my Portuguese ancestors I love sailing. A great deal is going to be learned from you folks. Such as (you are an idiot) that’s ok I might be, to (this is what I would do before you get your main fixed) to simply (I have learned something from your experience or lack thereof).
Thanks for reading
Antonio

[Peter]

Wow, Antonio ... it sounds like you got all your troubles over in one day! Good on you for calling for help early. Some people leave it too late and get into serious trouble.
Practice reefing in calm weather, or even in the marina, as long as you are head-to-wind. Once you have it down to a routine it becomes second nature. Before I reef I always run through the steps out loud, just to refresh my memory, then go forward and get it done. Getting the right amount of sail for weather conditions is a fine art, and if you think it's time to reef, you're probably a little late already!

My old Dad used to say "You can't buy experience, but you sure got to pay for it!"

[cmartin]

Great story, glad you made it back in one piece.

It's this kind of day that keeps me sailing. As scared or nervous as I've been, there is nothing like living through it and learning more for the next go around. You never learn the limit until you reach it.

[s/v Faith]

Antonio,

Faith, an Ariel (sold as the Triton's little sister) and I are in Bayou Grande. I was out on the water on Saturday the 4th also. Maybe I will see you out there some time. This sure is a nice area to sail in. Was a nice day on the water yesterday, and should be tomorrow.

If you see a Royal blue hull, with dark blue dodger and bimini hail 'Faith' on the radio. Hope to see you out there some time!

[BALANCE]

Antonio, that was so wonderful, thank you. That was a perfect example of the definition of sailing, 98% boredom and 2% panic. As Peter implied, you've got a years worth of the 2% out of the way in one day! Being made aware of the presence of your guardian angel, eliminating all doubt is an added bonus.

So, in the future, things you might consider that have not been said yet. When sailing alone, wear a life jacket. The suspedor kind are comfortable but a litte spendy. http://cgi.ebay.com/WEST-MARINE-SUSPEND ... 3003r19144

You've learned the hard way about tacking the jib and how important it is to keep an eye (if not a light hand) on the jib sheet you are relieving of duty (while keeping the tiller between your knees!). Also a figure eight knot at the end of each jib sheet should keep it from going overboard as far as the engine, should it happen again. And it will.

You are learning to sail the same way I did. I have similar stories to tell. I never got the jib sheet in the prop but a few lobster pot lines. Oh, a knife. You want a dedicated sharp cockpit knife. :)

Keep it up and thanks for sharing, you've made my day.

[sscoll]

Antonio,
Sounds like a day full of learning with some decent folks to help out. Those are wonderful days to look back on.
If you happen to snag a line with the prop again I'll tell you what worked for me the one time its happened, so far. Restart your engine in neutral and bump the transmission in and out of reverse once.
I was fortunate, it spun the line off and freed itself. I've a two bladed prop.
Cheers,
Steve